Chapter 52: The Demon Well Opens, Severing Old Grudges

Lu Chen's demon body was extremely powerful.

His sharp claws slashed against the giant tree, and the massive trunk, which several men could not encircle, snapped instantly.

The Demon Blood granted him a near-immortal regenerative ability.

Jiang Che's sword-finger pierced his shoulder, yet in the next breath, the flesh and blood had already healed.

He laughed wildly as he lunged forward: "Jiang Che! You cannot kill me!"

Jiang Che sidestepped, letting the Sword Qi from his fingertip strike Lu Chen's knee.

Lu Chen knelt halfway, then immediately stood up again.

"Useless!"

Xie Tingxue frowned: "As long as the Demon Blood is not destroyed, he cannot die."

Apo Luo shouted from the stockade wall: "The Demon Well grants blood; as long as the Well is not sealed, the Demon Servant cannot perish!"

Jiang Che's eyes shifted slightly.

In other words, Lu Chen was merely a hand extended by the Demon Well.

The true target to be severed was the Well itself.

Lu Chen seemed to see through Jiang Che's thoughts and sneered:

"You wish to go to the Demon Well?"

"It is too late."

He suddenly opened his mouth and let out a non-human shriek.

Deep within the dense forest, black mist surged like a tide.

Demon Puppets dragged the captured villagers, retreating toward the ancient well.

Apo Luo's face changed drastically: "They intend to sacrifice living people to open the Well!"

Jiang Che immediately ordered: "Green Blade Camp, save the people!"

Xie Tingxue led the charge into the dense forest.

Jiang Che moved to follow, but Lu Chen blocked him tightly.

"Your opponent is me!"

Jiang Che looked at him.

"You are mistaken."

Lu Chen froze in confusion.

Jiang Che said: "You are no longer worthy to be my opponent."

As the words fell, Jiang Che finally gripped the Green Bamboo Sword.

Xie Tingxue turned back: "Jiang Che!"

Jiang Che spoke softly: "Just one sword strike."

The Green Bamboo Sword unsheathed by half an inch.

A wisp of fresh green sword light ignited.

It was not brilliant.

Yet it was extremely pure.

Lu Chen instinctively felt fear and turned to retreat.

Jiang Che thrust his sword forward.

The sword light pierced the rain curtain and landed on the mass of Demon Blood on Lu Chen's chest.

There was no earth-shattering momentum.

Only a touch of green, like bamboo roots piercing into filthy mud.

The Demon Blood struggled frantically, emitting a sharp, agonized scream.

Lu Chen's eyes widened: "No... impossible..."

The Green Bamboo Sword Intent did not forcibly destroy the Demon Blood.

Instead, it awakened the human part within the Demon Blood.

Suddenly, Han Zhou's long street floated before Lu Chen's eyes.

Lu Heng appeared.

The corpses before the Prince's Manor Gate appeared.

The day he first held a spear, when he was still human, appeared.

The Demon Blood could make him immortal.

But it could not stop him from remembering that he had long since rotted.

"No!"

Lu Chen screamed wildly.

Yet the green light had already pierced through the Demon Blood.

Boom.

The golden-black blood mass on his chest exploded.

The demon body withered rapidly.

Lu Chen knelt in the muddy water, looking up at Jiang Che.

The venom in his eyes vanished for an instant, revealing confusion.

"If... if my father had not rebelled back then..."

Jiang Che said calmly: "There is no 'if'."

Lu Chen let out a bitter laugh.

"True enough."

He collapsed into the rain and turned to flying ash.

The old grievances of Han Zhou were now completely severed.

Jiang Che's face went pale, and his body swayed.

Xie Tingxue had already turned back to support him.

"We agreed to try not to draw the sword."

Jiang Che gave a bitter smile: "Isn't this trying?"

Xie Tingxue said coldly: "We'll settle the score when we return."

Jiang Che immediately changed the subject: "Were the people saved?"

Xie Tingxue nodded: "Most were saved, but another group was dragged toward the Demon Well."

Everyone immediately gave chase.

The Demon Well lies in the deepest part of the dense forest.

Around the ancient well, black vines covered the ground, and golden-black mist constantly spewed from the well's mouth.

Dozens of villagers were entangled by vines at the well's edge, crying out and struggling.

From the depths of the Demon Well, a low voice echoed:

"Jiang Che..."

"The key has arrived."

The black mist at the well's mouth suddenly coalesced into a giant eye.

The aura of a Patrol Angel!

Xie Tingxue drew her sword.

The Green Blade Camp formed a formation.

A-po-lo's face turned deathly pale: "We cannot let it fully open its eye! Once the eye opens, the Demon Well connects to the Upper Realm Demon Domain!"

Jiang Che looked at the well's mouth; the Green Bamboo Sword still trembled slightly.

Just now, slaying Lu Chen had already drained much of his strength.

If he forced the sword out again, his injuries would surely flare up.

Xie Tingxue said: "I'll do it."

Jiang Che shook his head: "Clear Snow Sword Intent can seal the mist, but it cannot cut the well's root."

A-po-lo suddenly said: "The Demon Well fears life force."

Jiang Che was stunned.

A-po-lo pointed at the Green Bamboo Sword: "Your mother came to the Southern Border back then. She once used the Green Bamboo Sword to seal a small Demon Spring."

Jiang Che's heart gave a violent throb.

Did Mother come here?

A-po-lo continued: "But now you cannot cut it forcefully."

"You must Plant the Sword."

"Plant the Sword?"

A-po-lo nodded: "Use Sword Intent as a seed, taking root at the well's bottom. It is not a momentary severing, but letting it rot from within."

Jiang Che understood.

This was exactly what Mother spoke of in her dream.

Bamboo will bend.

But it will not break.

Jiang Che walked to the front of the Demon Well and sat cross-legged.

The Green Bamboo Sword lay horizontally across his knees.

He did not swing the sword.

Instead, he closed his eyes and slowly sent a wisp of Green Bamboo Sword Intent into the well.

The Demon Well roared.

The black mist rushed forward wildly.

Xie Tingxue slashed the Clear Snow Sword, standing guard before him.

The Green Blade Camp, Wu Clan warriors, and A-po-lo all protected the surroundings.

Jiang Che's Sword Intent sank bit by bit.

Like bamboo roots, piercing through the mud, piercing through Demon Blood, piercing through the rotten earth veins.

Finally, it drilled into the deepest part of the well's bottom.

There lay a drop of Patrol Angel Golden Blood.

Jiang Che said softly:

"Grow."

At the well's bottom, a point of Green Light ignited.